Raydesk
Sun Ray 2 and Stickfish Raydesk are intended as a replacement for personal computers. Raydesk is suitable for companies with a number of employees with specific tasks that would like to simplify computer administration and increase IT security. These could include, for example, call centres and financial institutions.
Stickfish Raydesk is not a hot new thing, but rather a tested product that has seen many deployments over several years. The list of customers includes ČEPS, the State Environmental Fund, the Occupational Safety Research Institute, or the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry and the University in Pardubice.
Problems with Regular Office PCs
Malfunction Office PCs are complex machines prone to malfunctions. They consist of a processor, operating memory, hard disk, graphics card, and other components. When any one of these components fails, the computer cannot operate and the employee cannot continue with their work until the problem is either fixed or they get a replacement computer. However, all data remains in the broken computer.
Illegal content
The users may install other applications of unknown origin on their PCs. You have to consider dealing with illegal data, such as pirated copies of films or MP3s. Should the usage of illegal software be discovered, the company would face not only high fines, but also public disgrace. More often than not the responsible persons, including the management, face criminal charges.
Low security
Computers may be compromised, due to the weak architecture of Microsoft Windows, by viruses, rootkits, and other malicious software during everyday use. All you have to do is open an infected MS Office document, website, e-mail, or a funny video. Malicious software can decrease the performance of the computer, but also track the user's activities, send their documents and passwords to an attacker, or erase data from the hard drive.
Energy consumption
Energy prices have risen by 11% in the Czech Republic in 2007. The trend of price level convergence within the EU indicates inevitability of a further rise. It has been proved the ICT industry's annual CO2 footprint is comparable to that of the aviation industry's.
Time-consuming administration
To install a new programme for all employees in a company with personal computers, it requires a visit to all buildings, floors, and offices to spend a few minutes installing the requested programme. VNC may also be used to access the individual computers and add the application. Such job may take a few days at a medium-size company.
Raydesk and Sun Ray Solutions
The Stickfish, s. r. o., company, a Sun Microsystems partner of the year for 2007, has been aware of these problems for a long time which is why it has introduced a unique solution on the market: enterprise desktop Raydesk. It is a combination of the Sun Ray 2 virtual display systems and the Raydesk software solution of a user desktop environment. It provides a replacement for the suboptimal concept of personal computers.
Long life, low cost
Applications do not run on the Sun Ray 2 station but rather on a server. This means the workstations do not need to be upgraded to new models like other personal computers. Five year old Sun Ray virtual desktops perform with the same quality and comfort as today's models and the entire solution is backwards compatible. Adding new applications does not increase a local client's hardware requirements.
No distractions
Each applications is represented by an icon with a caption on the desktop. Application settings make it possible to configure the application to run automatically on start-up, or set a time limit (for example, the list of customers cannot be accessed outside of work hours). The environment is so intuitive there is no need for any training.
High security, ease of use
Users log in with chip cards. The “hotdesking” feature ensures that a current session is only paused upon logging off (removal of the chip card) and can be resumed by logging in again – even at a different terminal! The time to resume a session following the insertion of the chip card is less than one second.
Environment friendly
The Sun Ray 2 workstations do not become obsolete and thus do not need to be replaced by new models. Their energy consumption is up to twentyfold lower than that of regular PCs. A Sun Ray 2 only consumes 3.9 W when switched on! Besides being friendly to the environment, it also brings about significant cost savings.
Powerful administration, low maintenance
A virtual display terminal connects to an electric outlet, computer network, monitor, and input devices. That's it. No other maintenance is necessary and the administrator manages all software configuration from their office. If a company uses directory services based on identity management, Raydesk allows for integration with LDAP or Microsoft Active Directory servers.
Multiplatform
Raydesk is able to run applications from different platforms. The RDP protocol or the Citrix connector utilising the ICA protocol allow for accessing programme equipment from the MS Windows platform. Raydesk is also compatible with the X Window System standard allowing the users to use Linux, Solaris, BSD, and other applications.
